FOM: Joe Shoenfield

[Torkel Franzen]

  >The ASL Newsletter reports that the logician Joseph Shoenfield (a 
  >participant of the fom list) died on November 15 last.

  I'm sorry that he didn't live longer, and in particular that he
didn't experience what I am sure will be the enthusiastic reception of
the second edition of his book. Like very many others, I studied
_Mathematical Logic_ diligently when it appeared in 1967, and probably
learned more from it than from any other book in logic that I've
tackled. People who are better qualified will no doubt comment on his
work in logic, and I will only say that his economy of style and
elegance of presentation made many potentially hopelessly difficult
or confusing subjects or theorems accessible to a wider audience.
He wrote on "The mathematical work of S.C.Kleene" in the BSL; let's
hope somebody can do an equally good job on "The mathematical work of
Joseph Shoenfield".